Spring strut support bearing

ABSTRACT

A spring strut support bearing, has a top bearing that can be affixed by its inner ring to the front end of an automobile, e.g. to the end of a piston rod of a shock absorber facing a vehicle body. The inner ring is surrounded by an outer ring with radial clearance; at least one elastic spring element made of rubber-elastic material is arranged in a gap formed by the clearance. The outer ring is disposed in a stationary manner with respect to the vehicle body; and only the component of the loading force of the shock absorber extending through the elastic spring element of the top bearing reaches the vehicle body. The inner ring has on each of its two end faces at least one elastically flexible stop buffer for limiting extreme deflection movements in moving direction of the shock absorber, the stop buffers each having the capability of being brought into contact with counter stop faces.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a spring strut support bearing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Spring strut support bearings (also known as suspension turretwebs) are generally known and, for example, form a part of a frontsuspension in a motor vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The object of the present invention is to further develop asuspension turret web in such a way that extreme deflections of theinner ring in the direction of the introduced vibrations are limited inrelation to the outer ring of a top bearing which forms a component ofthe spring strut. A further object is that undesirably high shearingstresses in the elastic spring element which connects the inner andouter rings of the top bearing be prevented, and that because of this,the suspension turret web exhibits uniformly good working propertiesduring a longer service life.

[0004] To achieve the objective, a suspension turret web is providedwhich includes a top bearing that is able to be affixed by its innerring to the front end, the end of a piston rod of a shock absorberfacing a vehicle body. The inner ring is surrounded by an outer ringwith radial clearance. At least one elastic spring element made ofrubber-elastic material is arranged in the gap formed by the clearance,and the outer ring is disposed in a stationary manner with respect tothe vehicle body. The inner ring has on each of its two end faces atleast one elastically flexible stop buffer for limiting extremedeflection movements in the moving direction of the shock absorber, andthe stop buffers each have the capability of being brought into contactwith counter stop faces. The above-described embodiment ensures theprevention of undesirably high shearing stresses within the elasticspring element which reduce its service life, because the deflectionmovement of the inner ring relative to the outer ring is limited by theelastically flexible stop buffers. In this context, the counter stopfaces are fixedly joined to the vehicle body. Parts which are fixedlyjoined to the vehicle body, thus, for example, plates which are boltedor welded to the vehicle body, also belong to the vehicle body withinthe framework of the present invention. The stop buffers always contacttheir counter stop faces when low-frequency, large-amplitude vibrationsare introduced into the shock absorber, for example, when the wheel runsover the curb.

[0005] The top bearing can be produced simply and cost-effectively byforming the stop buffers and the elastic spring element in one piece andof the same material. The stop buffers and the elastic spring elementare injected in one shared operation into a tool cavity in which theinner ring and the outer ring of the top bearing are already inserted.Following the injection of the rubber-elastic material, this materialhardens gradually and clutches permanently with claw-like fixation tothe surfaces of the inner and outer rings.

[0006] Another embodiment offers the possibility of producing the stopbuffers separately and connecting them frictionally and/or with formlocking to the respective end face of the inner ring. An advantage inthis case is that the stop buffers can be adapted particularly well tothe respective conditions of the specific application, irrespective ofthe material from which the elastic spring element is made. For example,the stop buffers can be mounted with adhesive on the end faces of theinner ring or can have the ability to snap into undercut, e.g.,dovetailed recesses, of the inner ring.

[0007] A comparatively more durable, form-locking connection can beachieved in that the inner ring has at least one opening extendingessentially in the axial direction from end face to end face, and theopening is penetrated by material of the stop buffers. Such anembodiment is only useful when the rubber-elastic material is injectedinto a tool cavity and subsequently vulcanized between the inner ringand outer ring.

[0008] Stop buffers made of a cellular polyurethane have particularlyadvantageous working properties. Compared to other materials, cellularpolyurethane has the advantage that the damping capacity increasesrelatively with the increase in amplitude, and the dynamic hardening isgenerally not so high compared to elastomers.

[0009] The stop buffers can be formed on each side of the inner ring by,in each case, at least three lug cams uniformly distributed in thecircumferential direction. The form of the lug cams is preferably suchthat a progressively rising spring tension results as the springdeflection path increases. This ensures that the stop buffers contactthe counter stop faces gently at first, e.g., to prevent shaking andsharp noises, and a stronger bracing of the two parts against each otheronly results as the spring deflection path increases.

[0010] The outer ring can be stationary mounted in an essentiallycup-shaped flange, the flange and the vehicle body being fixedly joined.Such an embodiment is advantageous with a view to producing suspensionturret webs in the unitized construction system. Variously configuredflanges offer the possibility of adapting the suspension turret web tothe respective installation situation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of theinvention;

[0012]FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of embodiments havingdiffering stop buffers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013]FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a spring strut supportbearing, which has a top bearing 1 composed of an inner ring 2 and anouter ring 6 surrounding inner ring 2 with radial clearance. The innerring 2 and outer ring 6 are joined by elastic spring element 8 arrangedwithin gap 7.

[0014] In this exemplary embodiment, stop buffers 11, 12, which arearranged on end faces 9, 10 of inner ring 2, are configured integrallyand continuously with elastic spring element 8. An embodiment deviatingfrom this, which can be used here as well, is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,respectively.

[0015] Outer ring 6 is pressed into a cup-shaped flange 19 that isimmovably joined to vehicle body 3, e.g., by a screw coupling orwelding.

[0016]FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a cutaway portion from top bearing 1 ofFIG. 1, stop buffers 11, 12 being affixed to inner ring 2 differentlythan in the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0017] In FIG. 2, stop buffers 11, 12 are produced separately and joinedto respective end faces 9, 10 of inner ring 2 with form locking.Additionally or alternatively, it is possible to provide a frictionalconnection, e.g., by cementing.

[0018] In this embodiment, stop buffers 11, 12 are snapped into undercutrecesses 30, 31 of respective end faces 9, 10 of inner ring 2, recesses30, 31 each being dovetailed.

[0019] In FIG. 3, inner ring 2 has a plurality of openings 32 thatextend essentially in the axial direction from end face 9 to end face 10and are distributed in the circumferential direction, openings 32 beingpenetrated by the elastomeric material of stop buffers 11, 12.Particularly good durability is achieved in this manner.

[0020] Separately formed stop buffers 11, 12 are preferably made of acellular polyurethane.

[0021] In response to extreme deflection movements of inner ring 2 inmoving direction 13 relative to outer ring 6, stop buffers 11, 12 comein contact with counter stop faces 14, 15, counter stop face 15 beingformed by bottom 20 of flange 19. Upper end-face stop buffer 11 contactscounter stop face 14 which is designed as a cover and forms a componentof vehicle body 3.

What is claimed is:
 1. A spring strut support bearing, comprising: a topbearing having an inner ring by way of which the top bearing can beaffixed to the end of a piston rod of a shock absorber connected to avehicle body; an outer ring surrounding the inner ring with radialclearance defining a gap therebetween, the outer ring being stationarywith respect to the vehicle body; at least one elastic spring elementmade of rubber-elastic material located in the gap formed by theclearance; wherein the inner ring has two end faces, on each of whichhas at least one elastically flexible stop buffer for limiting extremedeflection movements along a deflection direction defined by the motionof a shock absorber, each of the stop buffers having the capability ofbeing brought into contact with counter stop faces.
 2. The spring strutsupport bearing as recited in claim 1, wherein the stop buffers and theelastic spring element are formed in one piece and of the same material.3. The spring strut support bearing as recited in claim 1, wherein thestop buffers are produced separately and connected frictionally and/orwith form locking to the respective end face of the inner ring.
 4. Thespring strut support bearing as recited in claim 3, wherein the stopbuffers are snapped into undercut recesses in the respective end facesof the inner ring.
 5. The spring strut support bearing as recited inclaim 1, wherein the inner ring has at least one opening extendingessentially in the axial direction from end face to end face, and thatthe opening is penetrated by material of the stop buffers.
 6. The springstrut support bearing as recited in claim 3, wherein the inner ring hasat least one opening extending essentially in the axial direction fromend face to end face, and that the opening is penetrated by material ofthe stop buffers.
 7. The spring strut support bearing as recited inclaim 3, wherein the stop buffers are made of cellular polyurethane. 8.The spring strut support bearing as recited in claim 5, wherein the stopbuffers are made of cellular polyurethane.
 9. The spring strut supportbearing as recited in claim 1, wherein the stop buffers on each end faceof the inner ring are formed in each case by at least three lug camsuniformly distributed in the circumferential direction.
 10. The springstrut support bearing as recited in claim 2, wherein the stop buffers oneach end face of the inner ring are formed in each case by at leastthree lug cams uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction.11. The spring strut support bearing as recited in claim 1, wherein theouter ring is fixedly mounted in an essentially cup-shaped flange, andthe flange is fixedly joined to the vehicle body.
 12. The spring strutsupport bearing as recited in claim 4, wherein the outer ring is fixedlymounted in an essentially cup-shaped flange, and the flange is fixedlyjoined to the vehicle body.
 13. The spring strut support bearing asrecited in claim 1, wherein the counter stop faces are formed axially onthe one side by bottom of the flange, and axially on the other side bythe vehicle body.